Bumper Repair vs. Replacement
October 9th, 2020 by Fix Auto USA
If you just experienced a rear-ended accident, you may wonder to yourself, “What am I going to do about my bumper?” Does it require a bumper fix or is the damage so extensive that it needs a replacement bumper?
How do you fix bumper dent? If your plastic bumper is nicked up or scratched, the process involves sanding it down to make it smooth. If the scratches are bigger and deeper, they may need to be filled to make them level. In some cases, a bumper dent can be massaged or pulled out, which means you don’t need to replace you bumper. Paintless Dent Repair, or PDR, can be used for plastic bumper dent removal, and it saves you a significant amount of time. In other scenarios, such as when there is significant paint damage, a replacement may be necessary. If the bumper is riddled with scratches and the paint is badly chipped, the work can get pretty involved. You need to even out the bumper so the surface is smooth, and you might need to have the cracks filled and the bumper repainted. Given the amount of work, it might be better just to get a new bumper.
Another scenario is when the hooks, which attach the bumper to your car’s grill, are damaged. If they get broken, your bumper could come apart or come off altogether. In this situation, replacing your bumper is usually your only option, as the hooks are not replaceable.
How to fix cracked bumper and dents
What about not just a dent but a cracked bumper? If you are hoping to fix cracked bumper, you might be out of luck. A cracked bumper is another situation that usually indicates the need to replace the bumper. While there are repair kits on the market, this is not a time to wing it. If your goal is to restore your car to its pre-collision appearance and value, then in all likelihood this means getting your cracked bumper replaced by a trained technician.
There are some do-it-yourself remedies out there but they carry risks, including ruining your paint job. There is always the risk that you could inadvertently make it worse and even reduce your car’s value. You are better off taking your car in to your trusted auto body shop and getting their professional opinion.
If your bumper has been dinged, dented, scratched, or completely mangled, your friends at your local Fix Auto USA body shop are here to help with your car bumper repair and replacement. Let our accident repair experts inspect the damage and advise you whether it can be repaired or should be replaced. Fix Auto USA is open for business and ready to serve you.
This blog post was contributed by Fix Auto Hemet, a leading industry expert and collision repair shop serving Hemet and the Inland Empire.
